Volume 1, Chapter 54: Scoring a Massive Bargain and Catching a Huge Gossip

Yun Jinshu wanted to use Zhao Wujiang to make Long Zhan change his mind, but instead ended up being humiliated and stormed off in a huff.

Sneaking around like a timid puppy, Zhao Wujiang followed behind Yun Jinshu, wanting to see what on earth this woman was up to. Although his previous deduction seemed to have seen right through Yun Jinshu’s scheming, there was no guarantee she didn’t have other plots up her sleeve.

After all, in the original novel, Yun Jinshu was Long Zhan’s capable advisor, exceptionally brilliant. A clever person’s scheming was like an old sow wearing a brassiere—layer upon layer.

He tailed Yun Jinshu all the way to Long Zhan’s estate without noticing anything unusual, thinking to himself whether he had been overthinking things.

Just as he was preparing to observe for a bit longer, he caught sight of the Sixth Prince, Li Yunyi, emerging from Long Zhan’s estate with a look of utter dejection.

What was Li Yunyi doing at Long Zhan’s estate?

Puzzled, Zhao Wujiang sneakily trailed after Li Yunyi. Only after following him for a stretch and moving away from the vicinity of Long Zhan’s residence did he show himself, pretending it was a chance encounter.

"Zhao Wujiang?" Li Yunyi bumped into him around a corner and cried out in surprise, "Why are you here?"

"And where are you coming back from? Your direction seems a bit off, doesn't it?" Zhao Wujiang probed with his words. "You wouldn't happen to have been going to congratulate Long Zhan, would you? Are the two of you forming cliques—"

"Hey, hey..." Li Yunyi quickly cut Zhao Wujiang off and let out a sigh. "Don't mention it... It's really no wonder you and Long Zhan don't get along; your minds work practically the same way... I went to see Long Zhan about something, but he shut his doors and refused to see me, claiming he needed to cultivate. He even gave me a tactful warning not to get too close to him publicly, lest there be suspicion of forming factions for personal gain. He wouldn't see me because he wanted to avoid suspicion..."

"By the way..." Zhao Wujiang rubbed his chin. "The second volume of *The Hundred Flowers of the Spring Palace* is out. Do you want it?"

Li Yunyi’s eyes lit up, a lecherous smile gradually spreading across his face. "Really?"

"We're brothers, would I lie to you?" Zhao Wujiang fished a little erotic book out from his robes and shoved it into Li Yunyi's sleeve.

While carefully watching the surroundings for any sign of movement, terrified of being spotted by others, Li Yunyi secretly flipped open a page or two. Finding the artistic style to his exact liking, he beamed with joy.

"You carry this around on you? Aren't you afraid of Yunrui finding out?" Li Yunyi kept his eyes glued to the book while Zhao Wujiang acted as his lookout.

"I am," Zhao Wujiang nodded, then added, "But I figured you might need it... On the day of the grand wedding, there will be too much bustling and mingling, and too many people. I wouldn't have time to hand it to you. Besides, you don't come to my estate very often, and we don't have many chances to meet on ordinary days. By keeping it on me at all times, I can give it to you whenever I run into you. Isn't this just perfect?"

Zhao Wujiang’s sincerity made Li Yunyi feel somewhat guilty. After all, he had gone to see Long Zhan yet failed to visit Zhao Wujiang, his own brother-in-law, whereas this brother-in-law constantly had him on his mind.

People who eat others' food become soft-mouthed, and people who take others' gifts become short-handed. Looking at Zhao Wujiang before him, Li Yunyi’s eyes suddenly lit up. Zhao Wujiang possessed decent martial arts skills and had even defeated Long Zhan at the Ancestral Courtyard that day. If he wanted to master the Sacred Dragon Technique bestowed upon him by the Emperor more quickly, with Zhao Wujiang right here before him, wasn't this the perfect opportunity?

Couldn't he just ask Zhao Wujiang for guidance?

Would his own brother-in-law stingily refuse to impart his knowledge?

"To be honest with you, Zhao Wujiang, I also have a little erotic book here..." Li Yunyi said with a mysterious expression. "Come on, let's go to your estate and talk."

"I've read through all the erotic books under the sun; do you really have to be so secretive about it?" Zhao Wujiang asked, puzzled. Li Yunyi stepped closer, slowly pulling apart his garments to reveal a bright yellow manual.

"The Sacred Dragon Technique?" Zhao Wujiang looked perplexed, feeling that the name sounded strangely familiar.

The next moment, it clicked. This martial art was none other than Li Zaiyuan’s unique technique and the key to becoming a Grandmaster—the Sacred Dragon Technique!

He and Li Yunyi sneakily returned to the Prince's Manor. Along the way, both wore lecherous grins as they cut through courtyards and halls, entering the room under Li Yunrui’s astonished and suspicious gaze.

Sisters, who understands this? Her husband hadn't even been newlywed for long before he brought some wild man home—and it was her own brother, no less!

Inside the room.

Li Yunyi spread out the bright yellow manual, and the two of them leaned in close.

"It has three layers? The first layer is the Dragon's Roar, a sonic wave attack? For someone with decent martial arts talent, it takes a month? That simple?"

"The second layer is the Dragon's Form... Dragon Claw Hand, Capturing Dragon Skill, Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms... It takes a little over a year. That's not too bad either, right?"

"The third layer is the Dragon's Appearance? It takes ten years to catch a glimpse of its mysteries? What does that mean? It's that difficult?" Li Yunyi was puzzled. The introductory summary was written in his imperial father's handwriting, but the content was overly abstruse for a layman like him. Not understanding it, he could only turn to Zhao Wujiang for help.

Zhao Wujiang flipped through the pages continuously and said only one sentence:

"Learn to walk first! Start practicing from the first layer. Master the Dragon's Roar first; perhaps everything else will naturally fall into place afterwards, and you'll understand it all."

Li Yunyi nodded.

"Let me demonstrate for you first..." Zhao Wujiang took a horse stance, his aura gradually steadying, and began explaining as he demonstrated: "First, sink your breath into your dantian..."

"Where is the dantian?" Li Yunyi asked.

"Take a deep breath. Where the airflow gathers in your abdomen is the dantian." Zhao Wujiang followed the illustrations in the manual and made the motions: "Condense your breath, gather all your strength in one burst, and roar it out smoothly."

Guided by a sudden flash of inspiration, Zhao Wujiang's aura instantly turned ferocious. A surge of breath welled up from his abdomen, and he let out an angry shout:

"Aow..."

The roar of the dragon shook the room with a humming sound, carrying quite an impressive might.

"The Dragon's Roar? You managed a Dragon's Roar just like that?" Li Yunyi was utterly shocked and incredulous, immediately reaching out to touch Zhao Wujiang's chest. "How did you do that?"

"Just like I explained and demonstrated a moment ago." Zhao Wujiang demonstrated it once more, and the Dragon's Roar rang out again.

Li Yunyi watched with shining eyes and imitated the movements Zhao Wujiang had just made. He condensed his aura and let out an angry shout:

"Aow-woo..."

"Huh?" Zhao Wujiang was speechless. Wasn't that supposed to be a dragon's roar?

He gave a dry cough and said, "Not bad. The method is correct, but because your breath wasn't smooth, there was a slight deviation. Still, it's very good."

"You actually managed to produce a Dragon's Roar..." Li Yunyi felt somewhat defeated.

Zhao Wujiang comforted him, "No, I'm already a sixth-rank martial artist, while you've only just entered the path of martial arts. To be able to emit... such a groan... is already quite impressive. You have to walk step by step and eat rice bite by bite; you can't rush it. When you go back, practice according to this and build your foundation first."

"Aow... woo..." Li Yunyi tried it again and found it felt different. Joy appeared on his face.

Zhao Wujiang smiled and said, "Look at that, did I lie to you? You just leaked a bit of air on your very last breath because your foundation isn't strong enough. Your talent is actually very good."

"I really wasn't wrong to come find you!" Li Yunyi exclaimed with emotion. Zhao Wujiang was the first person ever to praise his martial arts talent.

The two of them practiced several more times in the room. Zhao Wujiang checked the manual back and forth and had already committed most of its contents to memory. Li Zaiyuan’s martial art was truly top-tier stuff; today, by hitching a ride on Li Yunyi’s coattails, he had picked up a massive windfall.

Outside the door, Li Yunrui pressed her ear against the wooden panel, eavesdropping on the commotion inside. She fancied she could hear the lecherous and dissolute laughter of her brother Li Yunyi and her husband Zhao Wujiang.

Pushing the door open with a glare, she instead saw Zhao Wujiang sitting cross-legged in meditation and Li Yunyi continually striking various bizarre martial arts poses.

"Yunrui? Is something the matter?" Li Yunyi asked, puzzled.

"Nothing. You guys continue, I won't disturb you." Li Yunrui closed the door. The men were busy with proper business, so how could she interrupt? She must have been hearing things earlier; she had overthought it.

The moment she pulled the door shut, she heard their lecherous laughter once more, sounding as though they were saying that Li Yunrui, that old hag, had finally left and they could now freely look at good-looking erotic books.

With a loud *bang*, she shoved the door open again.

Li Yunyi looked even more puzzled, and Zhao Wujiang slowly opened his eyes. "What is it?"

Embarrassed, Li Yunrui thought for a moment, changed the subject, and asked, "Li Yunyi, are you staying for dinner at the manor tonight?"

"Oh dear, if you hadn't mentioned it, I completely forgot—I still have a volume of scriptures to copy!" Li Yunyi hurriedly stopped his cultivation, cupped his fists toward Zhao Wujiang, and said, "There'll be plenty of time in the future, thank you very much for today..."

"We're family, no need to speak of such external courtesies." Zhao Wujiang supported Li Yunyi's hands. "I'll see you out."

The three of them stepped outside. Watching the brother and sister bicker while he lagged a step behind, walking at a leisurely pace, Zhao Wujiang smiled and rubbed his own ear.

If he hadn't misheard when passing by his old man's room earlier, there had been the sound of a woman inside, seemingly arguing. Who could it be?

Before long, he arrived outside his old man's room and slowly squatted down by the base of the wall.

Right at that moment, he heard an angry roar from a woman inside:

"Zhao Tingxiao! Can't you ever take my side for once?"

Oh? Like a melon-eating badger, Zhao Wujiang split a mouthful of pearly-white teeth that gleamed like a sharp steel fork.